


Gratitude

by iulia_linnea



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-11
Updated: 2012-11-11
Packaged: 2017-11-18 09:37:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/559547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iulia_linnea/pseuds/iulia_linnea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It could be Nargles, but it's not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gratitude

**Author's Note:**

> Written 4 February 2008.

Luna observed how the Headmaster's face became more pinched with every passing day. It worried her. Could be Nargles. Could be infestation of Carrows, too, which, she supposed, seemed more likely—but it was rather more likely that the weight of Professor McGonagall's gaze was oppressing him more than anyone else.

Accusation: it was a powerful thing.

Especially when the accused is innocent.

Oh, Luna knew she had no real proof for it, beyond the lack of any real detention, but there was something so quietly noble about Snape—or perhaps it was how tall he was; secretly, Luna knew that tall boys, er, men, made her less impartial than she should be—that wouldn't allow her to believe he was a murderer. She'd discussed this with Neville before.

"Bollocks. Harry was there. You trust Harry, right?"

Luna sighed to remember Neville's words. She did trust Harry, but people had a way of not seeing beyond their prejudices.

"And none of us knows Professor Snape."

In any case, as she trudged through the Forbidden Forest a little behind the others, Luna knew that, noble tallness or no, something needed to be done. Professor Snape looked at the end of his wits, just, and she didn't like to think what would happen to the others should he run out of them.

Nargles would be an easier situation. But it wasn't Nargles.

After washing up and pretending to go to sleep, Luna rose and carefully made her way to the Astronomy Tower. She knew from her own patrols that Professor Snape liked to end his there. She found him staring up into the sky, his arms hanging limply at his sides, his back visibly tense through his robes, which were of a slightly better, more closely fitted cut since he'd taken on his new position. They'd been a gift, one which had arrived in the Great Hall during breakfast, and Luna had imagined that Professor Snape had looked ashamed to receive them. It had been Professor Can't-Keep-His-Hands-To-Himself who'd urged the Headmaster to open the parcel.

No one had laughed.

She watched him, wondering what he was doing, and was surprised when he began to float! He floated up and onto his back, as if he were in water, and Luna stopped herself from moving to get a better view of what Professor Snape kept under his robes.

She didn't think that floating was Dark, but she wasn't certain. Still, perhaps, as she didn't know what to say to him and he looked almost peaceful, she thought she might leave him to what appeared to be his own strange form of meditation. She was just creeping away when his voice, made deeper by his position, startled her.

"What is it, Lovegood?"

"You know it's me!"

"Lovegood?" Professor Snape repeated, not sounding as vexed as usual.

It was then that Luna took note of the sweet scent of something recently burnt. Cannabis. Oh. Oh! "You've got . . . fags?"

"You know I don't, Lovegood. What is it?"

Ah. There was the annoyance she'd expected. "Just came to thank you, sir, for my detention."

A snort was her only reply.

"Is that really wise, sir? I mean, don't you want your wits about you?"

"Not presently, no. It's past curfew. Return to your dormitory."

Must be powerful stuff, Luna thought, smiling. Maybe he'd be okay. She didn't think they all would, frankly, but—

"Lovegood?"

"Headmaster?"

"You will remove me from the list of your concerns—and mind the others."

"Yes, sir. Good night," Luna said, her interrupted thought completing itself:

—maybe they would be all right, just with luck, and a little burnt floating. 

How odd, to see Professor Snape as human. Well, she'd known that, hadn't she? It's why she'd come.

She returned to the others rather more quickly than she'd planned to, feeling something akin to relief—and grateful to know it wasn't Nargles.


End file.
